AP Sports Preview ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — The St. Louis Cardinals open a pivotal three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday at 7:15 p.m. at Busch Stadium III, aiming to solidify their position above .500 while the Reds look to claw back from a losing record. Right-hander Rhett Lowder (3-7, 4.88 ERA) is slated to start for Cincinnati. He will face a Cardinals lineup that has struggled for consistency, dropping their last game 10-6 to Arizona on Thursday. St. Louis enters the contest at 52-50, while Cincinnati sits at 47-54. The Reds are coming off a 5-3 victory at Seattle on Wednesday, a win highlighted by a strong relief appearance from right-hander Brady Singer. Singer, who is a player to watch for Cincinnati, pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out six to earn the win. Over his last three outings, Singer has posted a 2.14 ERA, though his record in that span is 2-1 after losing tough decisions to Philadelphia and Baltimore earlier in July. Cincinnati has won consecutive road games after dropping four of five overall. The Reds took two of three from the Mariners to open their current trip. St. Louis returns home after a 3-3 road trip through Los Angeles and Arizona. The Cardinals have lost four of their last six games, and their offense has been inconsistent, scoring five or more runs only twice in their last seven contests. Designated hitter Alec Burleson and second baseman JJ Wetherholt have been key contributors recently. The Cardinals have owned the season series against Cincinnati, taking three of five meetings in early June at Busch Stadium. St. Louis won the last three matchups, including a 10-3 blowout on June 5 and a 6-5 thriller on June 6. The lone Reds win in the series came May 23 in Cincinnati, a 7-6 decision. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-4 victory for the Reds. St. Louis has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The over/under for the game is 8.5 runs. After Friday’s contest, the teams continue the series Saturday and Sunday before the Reds return home to face Cleveland on Monday. St. Louis hosts Chicago for a four-game set starting Monday.